Sewing machine tape guiding means



Aug. 23, 1932- G. M. LEWIS SEWING MACHINE TAPE GUIDING MEANS Filed Unit. 29, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 \v 6 w W. 3 W

Aug. 23,- 1932. LEWIS 1,872,769

SEWING MACHINE TAPE GUIDING MEANS Filed Oct. 29, 5 s Sheets-Sheet 2 1932- G. M. LEWIS v SEWING MACHINE TAPE GUIDING MEANS Filed Oct. 29. 1925 I5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented Aug.- 23, 1932 Gimme ere. inst see snvv'lite nacn'mnco. on NEW YO K, N. Y., A CORPORATION QIIVNEW YORK seem Medellin TAPE demise insane Appntano-ntieioetbti -29, 1912s. Serial Nd. eases.

Wear from knitted fabric; sea-ms havinglongitudinal elasticity" are N desirable. But there some seamsin the seaming' where such elasticity isobjectionable and detri mental in admitting of unduestretching and consequent distortion, misshapirigand mis fitting of the garment particularly after the garment has been inuse. Instances of this are French collarettes Where the seam which fastens thecollarette into the neck opening of the body of the garment runs across the Wales of the collarette; and shoulder seams which rune-cross the-Wales ,of the fabric of the body of the garment. llor the purpose of rendering such sea-msnon-ela'stic it has been heretofore proposedto incorpora'te non-elastic tape in the seam during its process of formation, such tape acting to prevent longitudinalas' Well as ems-wise stretching and to generally strengthen the seam. v I I I An object of the presentinvention" isi the provision, in conjunction with a sewing, ma chine capable of forming suitable seam for knitted underwear, oftape guiding airid 'inserting means cap'abl'eo'f'b'eing quickly are readily thrown into and out et operation by the machine operative Without materially interfering with or interrupting the normaland regular running of the machine, Whereby the operative may controlandeifect the t on;

insertion of the tape in such ofthe seams,- or

at anypoints in seams, Whereitmay be de-f s1 rable,- and accomplish this Without-mater rially lessening the speed of operation [01";

production as compared tothe running. of

the machine Without the provision o'fsuch tape guiding means. 7

The aforesai'l and otherobjects andacb vantages are attained by What is nfovv be" lieved to be the'preferred embodiment oftlie invention illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein I Fig. 1 is a perspective View of-a sewing machine equipped With the tapeguiding and inserting means; p v p Fig. 2v is a front elevation of the work-arm of said-sewing machine with parts :in -se'c-.

Fig. is a top plan view and Fig.4 a bottom plan view oi the cover plate oftheworln arm having applied thereto the tap'eguid ingandinserting means; I i

Fig. 5 is a transverse'secti0n on line 55 of Fig. 3,3;

perspective views of the tape guide;

Fig. 8 -comprises a collection of detail orkarm and some of the parts associated therewith Fig. 9 isan enlarged detail view from-the right. side of the garment, or What isthe upper side otthe seam in its process of formation, shovvmg one Way. otlnserting tape in the under or rong side-ofa seam asiacco'rfn plished by the means of the present inven'- tion; and

10' diagrammatic.,-view through the seam of Fig. 9 further showing-appro zd matelythe relationship of the joined edges of the fabric, the tape insertion and the threads-- of; the seam; '7

the drawings,zthe' tape guiding: and" in sertingwmea'ns: are illustratediinc-onjimction vvit-ha fiatlock machine. such as hereinbe- Figs. '6 and 7 aretop' and bottom detail:

perspective views ofthe cover p'late of; the,

fore mentioned. The hollow machine frame or casing shown in Figs. 1 and 2, includes hollow standards and 21 at opposite ends of said frame connected by a hollow bridge portion 22. The feed-olf-thearm hollow work-arm of the machine includes an upper part 23, extending horizontally outward from and forward as a continuation of the upper end of the hollow standard 21, a vertically depending part 24 (only a fragment of which appears in Fig. 1), and a horizontal work-supporting part 25 having a free end off which the work is fed. At its upper end the hollow standard 20 extends forward and constitutes the head 26 of the machine which partly overhangs the end of the horizontal work-supporting part 25 of the workarm. At the free end of said' part 25 of the work-arm there is a throat-plate or clothplate 27 having therein suitable slots in and through which operate the forward or fulling feed dog 28 and the rearward or stitch feed dog 29 in engaging and feeding the fabric or work along said part 25 of the work-arm and toward and off the free end thereof.

30 is a presser foot positioned above the throat-plate 27 and supported from the head 26 of the machine frame in a manner to be yieldingly pressed downward into engage ment with the fabric or work passing thereunder. The presser foot shown is of the type having a slot at its forward end in which upturned edges of fabric are guided v to trimmer blades the cutting edges of which coa'ct' at the rear end of said slot to trim the fabric edges before they are sewed together by the needles and corresponding parts of the stitch-forming mechanism. One of said trimmer blades, shown at 31 in Fig. 1, is preferably fixed to the presser foot.

A removable cover 32 for the part 25 of the work-arm has at one end a bevelled lip 33 adapted to engage in a correspondingly undercut recess (Fig. 2) in one end of the throat-plate 27, and at its other end said cover is secured in place by a spring-actuated bolt latch 34 having a conical point adapted to seat in a conical depression in the wall of the upright part 24 of the work-arm. By an upward pull or lift on this cover-plate 32 at-its forward end where the latch bolt 34 is located, said bolt will be readily disengaged from its seat and the cover-plate thus released for removal by disengagement of the lip 33 from the recess in the edge of the throat-plate.

The parts as thus far described in the detailed description are substantially the same as in the aforesaid Flatlock machine and pat ents thereon.

The upper surface of the arm cover-plate 32 is formed with a flattened portion near one end thereof, with a groove 41 extending longitudinally of the cover-plate from said portion 40 of the cover plate. A flattened tubular tape guiding member 45 may be formed by bending over toward each other the two side edges of a strip of sheet metal,

these edges preferably being left slightly spaced from each other tosprovide a narrow slot 46 extending lengthwise of this guiding member and through which slot the tape and its movement maybe observed. At its delivery end, the member 45 extends beyond the end of the cover plate 32 when in its active lowered position and terminates close to the forward end of the presser foot 30, as shown in Fig. 2. At its other end the tubular guiding member 45 is rigidly secured to the leaf 44 of the hinge by a strap 47 and by soldering. A reinforcing metal strip or bar 48 secured along the under side of tubular member 45 in suitable manner, as by soldering, is of such dimensions as to fit in the groove 41 and thus also serve to accurately position and hold the tape guide in its proper position and alignment with relation to the stitch-forming mechanism and particularly the needles thereof. A detent or latch stud 49, rigidly secured to bar 48, as by riveting or soldering in an opening through said bar, has a notch 50 inone side thereof and a beveled outer end 51, and is positioned to project through the opening '42 of the cover plate 32 when the tape guide is in its lowered active position. A detent or latch bar 52 slides in a groove across the-under side of cover plate 32 (Figs. 2 and 5), and has an opening 53 (Figs. 5 and 8) adapted to register with opening 42 of said plate and be entered by the latch-stud 49. A plate 54, secured by screws to the under side of cover-plate 32, holds the latch-bar 52 in its groove, and a stud 55 passing through a slot 56 in said latch-bar limits the sliding movement of the latter. The edge of cover-plate 32 which is toward the main portion of the sewing machine, is recessed or cut away at 60 to receive the bowed spring 61 made of flat strip spring metal and having an elongated notch 62 at each end and held in place by screws 63, 63 passing freely through said notches into the edge of the cover plate 32. At its middle said spring 61 is riveted or otherwise secured to the bent-over outer end of the latch-bar. 65 is a leaf-spring riveted or otherwise secured at one end to the under side of the leaf 44 of the hinge, said spring extending parallel'to and beneath the bar 48 and being of a width to fit in the groove 41 of the cover plate32. V e 1 v 7 As shown in full lines in Fig.1,and also inFigs. 2, 3, a and 5,;the tape guide ism 1ts lowered or active positionand so held by "mately from end toend thereof; the latchbar 52 is held in engagement with the notch 50 of the'latch-stud 49 bythe tension of spring 61; and the free end of the tape guiding member terminates close tothe forward end of the presser foot. Tape a drawn from a suitable source of supply from above, passes down-ward (as shown in Fig. 2) into theopen receiving end of thetubular guiding member 45, throughthe same and from its delivery end where the tape is applied against the under sideof the fabric, which in passing under the presser foot first passes over and-above said tape guiding member at the delivery end of the latter. The feed '7 dogs 28, 29 (Fig. 2) of the sewing machine,

upwardly engage the fabric and tape from below, feeding the same stitch by stitch and at the same time drawing tape from its source of supply through the tapeguiding tubular member 45.

mg four parallel lines of stitches made by four needles, and with tape a applied to the under side of the fabric across the abutted joined edges thereof, said tape being of a width lessthan the distance between the out-.

- 1 side needles, whereby the threads of the seam or stitches extend across both edges and the outer surface of the tape, thus substantially enclosing or encasmg the tape. Butif desired, the tape may be wider than the dlstance between the outsidev needles so that the stitches made by all four needles will pass through the tape. 7

In the'manipulation and guiding of the fabric along the work-arm to the presserfoot,

' the right arm of the operative is passed under the horizontal portion 23 and along the work supporting part 25 of the work-arm so that the spring 61 of the latch of the tape guide is readily accessible to the operatives right hand. When the operative reaches a seamvor portion of a seam to which it is not desired to apply the tape, she presses against spring 61 with the thumb of her right hand, moving the.detent-bar 52 inward against the tension of said spring untilv said bar disengages the notch of the detent-stud 49, whereupon the spring 65v flips the tape guide upward on its hinge to a position approximately shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, with the tape leading from the end of the guide downward in an inclined path (approximated in dotted lines in Fig.2) to the work under the presser foot,

this. path of the tape leading through the slot of the presser foot and between the cutting edges of the trimmer blades with theresult that the tape is'clipped or severed leaving a loose end thereof extending beyond the end of the tape guide ready for insertion under the presser foot in the next operation of applying tape. But if preferred, the operative may herself clip the tape at such length as desired between the uplifted delivery endof the tape guide and the work. -Wl1ile the tape guide is not being used, it may if desired be swung back completely out of the way to the upright position, in which it is shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, approximately parallel to and in line with the vertically depending part 2d of the work-arm and to the rear ofsaid part when looking in the direction of feed. When needed, the tape guide can be, quickly pressed down to its active position and will be automatically engaged and held by the latch means. The end of the tape left extending beyond the end of the guide member by the previous clipping can be readily and accurately positioned by lifting the presser foot if necessary, and the machine then operated to form the seam with the tape inserted or incorporated therein. Such throwing of the tape guide out of and into action can be quickly accomplished with very little interruption in the normal running of the'machine. When the machine is being used on work of a character not requiringuseof the tape, the cover plate 32 with the tape guiding means mounted thereon may be readily replaced by a similar plate having no such means.

What is claimed is:

1. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitch-forming elements, a presser foot, a

work-arm having an approximately horizontal work-supporting part free at one end, I

work-feeding means for feeding work along said worltsupporting part of the arm past the presser foot and stitch-forming elements, and tape guiding means mounted on said work-supporting part of the work-arm in advance of said presser foot for guiding tape at both edges thereof to position to be applied to the surface of fabric or work and secured to thework by stitches formed by said stitch forming elements, said tape guiding means ,being movable to. an inoperative position without detachment from the machine and without movement to a non-operative position of the part on which saidtape guiding means is mounted.

2. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitch-forming elements, a presser foot, a Work-arm having an approximately horizon.- tal work-supporting part free at one end at which said stitch-forming elements and presserv foot operate, work-feeding means for feeding work along said work-supporting part of the arm past the presser foot and stitch-forming elements and off the free end of said part of therarm, and tape guiding means mounted on said work-supporting part stitches formed by said stitch-forming elements, said tape guidingmeans being movable to an inoperative position without detachment from the machine.

3. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitch-forming elements, a presser foot, a work-arm having an approximately horizontal work-supporting part free at one end, work feeding means for feeding work along said work-supporting part of the arm past the presser foot and stitch-forming elements, a

detachable and removable plate along said work-supporting part of the work-arm in ad- Vance of the presser foot, and tape guiding means positioned close to the presser foot and mounted on and removable with said plate, said guiding means operating to guide tape to position to be applied to the surface of fabric or work and secured to the work by stitches formed by said stitch-forming elements and being movable to an inoperative position without detachment from said plate on which it is mounted.

4. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitch-forming elements, a presser foot, a work-arm having an approximately horizontal work-supporting part free at onerend at which said stitch-forming elements and presser foot operate, work-feeding means for feeding work along said work-supporting .part of the arm past the presser foot and stitch-forming elements and off the free end of said part of the arm, a detachable and removable cover-plate along said work-sup portingpart of the arm in advance of the presser foot, and tape guiding means positioned close to the presser foot and mounted on and removable with said cover-plate, said guiding means operating to guide tape to position to be applied to the surface of fabric or work and secured to the work by stitches formed by said stitch-forming elements and being movable to an'inoperative position without detachment from said'cover-plate on which it is mounted.

5. In a sewingmachine, the combination of means for trimming edges of fabric,

stitch-forming mechanism for sewing to gether the edges of fabric after they are trimmed, and tape guiding means operating to guide tape to position to be applied to the surface of said fabric where said trimmed edges join each other and secured to the work by a plurality of spaced lines of stitches formed by said stitch-forming mechanism and which stitches also pass through both of said trimmed edges, said tape-guiding means being so mounted on the machine as to be movable from an operative to an inoperative position without detachment from the ma chine and without movement to a non-operative position of the part on which said tape guiding means is mounted.

6. In a sewing machine, the combination of means for trimming edges of fabric, stitchforming mechanism for sewing together the edges of fabric after they are trimmed, and tape guiding means operating to guide tape to position to be secured to the work by a plurality of spaced lines of stitches formed by said stitch-forming mechanism and which stitches engage both of said trimmed edges, said tape guiding means being mounted on .the machine so as to be movable while on the machine from an operative position, in which the fabric to which the tape is to be secured passes over the delivery end of the guide, to an inoperative position.

7. In a sewin machine, the combination of a presser foot having a fabric guiding slot extending rearward from the forward end of said foot, trimming means operating approximately horizontally in said slot to trim fabric fed along the slot, stitch-forming elements positioned to act on the fabric after it passes the trimming means, work-feeding means for advancing the fabric to said trimming means and stitch-forming elements, tape guiding means acting in its normal position to guide tape to position to be secured to the work by stitches formed by said stitchforming elements as the work is advanced by said feeding means, releasable detent means for holding said tape guiding means in normal position, and means acting upon release of said detent means to move said tape guiding means from normal position to one in which the tape is positioned in the path of the trimming mechanism and severed thereby.

8. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitch-forming elements and fabric trimming means, work-feeding means for feeding work to said stitch-forming elements and trimming means, tape guiding means acting in its normalposition to guide tape to position to be secured to the surface of fabric, trimmed by said trimming means, by a plurality of spaced lines of stitches formed by said stitchforming elements as the work is advanced by said feeding means, said tape-guiding means being movable from its said normal position, in which it guides the tape clear of the trimmer means and in which the fabric to which the tape is to be secured passes over the delivery end of the guide, to a position in which the tape is presented in the path of the trimming means and severed thereby.

9. In a sewing machine, the combination of a presser-foot having a slot and associated trimmer means acting in said slot, stitchforming elements, a tape guide mounted on the machine withits delivery end in advance of the presser-foot to guide tape beneath said foot and to position to be secured tothesurface of fabric, trimmed by said trimming 10. In a sewing machine, the combination of an approximately horizontal work-support, a presser foot, stitch-forming elements, a tape guide operatively positioned to extend along said work-support with its delivery end in proximity to said presser foot and stitch-forming elements and at its other end hinged to said work support to swing upwardly at its delivery end, and detent means securing said tape guide in said operative position and releasable to permit said guide to be swung on said hinge to an inoperative position.

11. In a sewing machine, the combination of a presser foot, stitch-forming elements, a tape guide operatively positioned with its delivery end in proximity to said presser foot and stitch-forming elements and at its other end hinged to the machine to swing upwardly at its delivery end, detent means securing said tape guide in said operative position and releasable to permit said guide to be swung upwardly on said hinge to an inoperative position, and means acting automatically to swing said tape guide on its hinge from its operative to an inoperative position upon release of said detent means.

12. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitch-forming elements, a presser foot, a work-arm including an approximately horizontal work-supporting part having a free end at which said stitch-forming elements operate, work-feeding means for feeding work along said work-supporting part of sai arm past the presser foot and stitchforming elements and off said free end of said part of the arm, a tape guide hinged at one end to the machine and operatively positioned along said part of the work-arm with its other or delivery end in proximity to said presser foot, and detent means securing said tape guide in said operative position and releasable to permit said guide to be swung on said hinge to an inoperative position.

13, In a sewing machine, the combination :of stitch-forming elements, 'a presser foot, a work-arm having an approxlmately'horizonof stitch-forming elements, a presser foot, a work-arm including an approximately horizontal work-supporting part having a free end at which said stitch-forming elements operate, work-feeding: means for feeding work along said work-supporting part of said arm past the presserv foot -and stitchforming elements and ofli said free end of at one end to the machine and operatively positioned along said part of the work-arm with its other or delivery end in proximity to said presser foot, detent means securing said'tape guide in said operative position and releasable to permitrsaid guide, to be swung on itshinge to an inoperative position, and means. actlng automatically to swing said tape 'gu1de.on,1ts hinge from its operative to said part'of the arm',-a tape; guide hinged an inoperative position upon release of said 1;,

detent means.

14'. In a sewing machine, the combination of stitch forming elements, a pre'sser foot, a work-arm including an approximately'horizontal work-supporting part having a free a1.

end at which said stitch-forming elements operate, work-feeding means for feeding work along said work-supporting part of said arm past'the presser foot and stitchsai-d part of. the arm, a tape guide hinged at one end to the'machine and operatively positioned along said part of the work arm with its other or delivery end in proximity to said presser foot, and detent means securing said tape guide in said operative position forming elements and off said free'end of 19 and releasable to permitsaid guide to be swung on said hinge to an inoperative posi- 'tion,said detent means including a part positioned at one edge of said work-supporting J part of the work-arm and adapted to'be actuated by a machine operator to release the detent means; a i

15; In a sewing'machine, the combination work-arm having an approximately horizonvof stitch forming elements, a presser foot, a

tal work-supporting part free. atone end, I

work-feeding means for feeding work along said work-supportingpart of the arm past work-supporting part of the work-arm in advance of said presser foot and adapted to guide tape to position to be applied to through the machine and to be secured to said fabric by stitches formed by said stitchforming elements and which stitches engage each of two edges of said work or fabric be- 16. In a sewing machine, the combination Ital work s upporting part freeat one end,

work-feeding meansfor feeding work along the Presser-foot and stitch-forming elements, and tape guiding means mounted on said the under-surface of fabric or work passing ing secured together, said tape-guiding means J being movable to an lnoperatlve position the Presser-foot and stitch-forming elements,

and tapeguiding meansmounted .on said worksupporting part of the work-arm in ad- Vance of'said presser foot and adapted to guide tape to position to be applied across the medial line of a seam comprising stitches formed by said stitch-forming elements and engaging said tape at both sides of said medial line, said tape-guiding means being movable to an inoperative position without detachment [from-the machine and without 'movement to a non-operative position of the *tal-work-supporting part free at one end,

work-feeding means for feeding work along said work-supporting part of the arm pastjthe presser foot and stitch-forming elements, and tape guiding means mounted on said Work-supporting partof the work arm and including a tubular guiding member terminating close to the presser foot and movable from said position to an inoperative position without movement to a non-operative position of the part on which said tape guiding means is mounted.

- 18. In a sewing machine, having an approximately horizontal work-supporting arm, the combination with stitch-forming elements for joining together the edges of fabric, of a tape guide in the form of a flattened tube extending along and attached to said arm in advance of said stitch-forming elements and having its delivery end on both sides of the line of seam, said tape guide being -moveable from an operative position to an inoperative position without movement to a non-operative position of the part to which said tape-guide is attached.

19. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming elements for joining together edges of fabric, of a tape guide in advance of said stitch-forming elements and whose delivery end underlies the fabric and extends across the line of seam, said tape guide being movable from an operative position to an inoperative position without ;requiring movement of another part of the ma chine to a non-operative position.

20, In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch-formingelements for joining together-the edges of fabric, of a tape guide supported in such manner as to be capable .of occupying two positions, one operative and the other inoperative with respect to said stitch-forming elements, and of being quick- .ly shifted from one position to the other without requiring corresponding movement of another part of the machine, the delivery end of'said guide underlying, when inv its opera- In testimon specification.

said work-supporting part of the armpaist give position, the fabric whose edges are to -e o1ned.

y whereof I have signed this GRIFFITH M. LEWIS. 

